The present invention relates to a lock device, intended to facilitate both electrical and manual operation.
When using electrically operable lock mechanisms, as used together with various types of electronic code locks, there is obviously also a need for such lock mechanisms which can be influenced manually, i.e. by means of an associated key or handle. For fire safety reasons, manual operation is a necessary requirement, which prevents use of lock mechanisms being operable electrically only.
For example, with regard to entrance door lock installations of today, a conventional manually operable lock mechanism is arranged located enclosed within the entrance door, arranged to facilitate operation by means of a key from the outside of the door, and having a manually operable handle by the inside surface of the door. When installing an electronic lock device, having an externally located key pad by means of which a certain code sequence can be programmed for operation of the lock mechanism, an electrically operable device is attached to the inside surface of the door adjacent to the handle, mechanically connected to the shaft of said handle, whereby any opening movement of the lock mechanism can be achieved when correct code sequence is programmed. This solution has a number of disadvantages, since the electrically operable device is mounted externally on the inside surface of the door, and thus easily can be made subject to outside forces, with the intention to prevent same from operating. Also from an aesthetical point of view, such an externally mounted device is not desirable. There are also certain risks that the lock handle is jammed by means of fire or other outside forces, thus preventing or slowing down an emergency exit.